Video: In the Land of the Midnight Sun - A Visit to Norway

Need a bit of an escape as we head into the weekend? You'll find it in this five minute video that takes us into the Nordland region of Norway where we discover epic landscapes, breathtaking vistas, and a place where the sun never sets – at least at this time of the year. It is an incredibly beautiful clip with some amazing views that will leave you desperate to get outside and pursue an adventure of your own. We all might not be able to get to a place that looks like this in the next few days, but I'm sure we can still find an outside setting that can captivate us none the less. Don't miss this video. It is well worth your time.

An Aerial Perspective of Nordland from Michael Fletcher on Vimeo.

Video: Paragliding Over Rio de Janeiro

With the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in full swing the eyes of the world of turned towards Rio. If you've been watching the events unfold in Brazil, you've no doubt seen some beautiful shots of the surrounding landscapes along the way. But in this video we join paragliders Nader Couri and Joe da Silva as they soar high above the city and Conrado Beach, giving us an adrenaline filled look at the surroundings. We haven't seen Rio from this vantage point just yet.

Belgian Adventurer to Attempt Simpson Desert Crossing in Australia

Belgian adventurer Louis-Philippe Loncke is about to set out on another expedition across Australia's Simpson Desert. Back in 2008, he mad a similar journey spending 36 days traversing the "Dead Heart" of the continent solo and unsupported. This time out, he hopes to repeat his success, although he is taking a completely different approach.

Stretching out for more than 176,000 sq. km. (68,000 sq. miles), the Simpson Desert covers parts of Australia's Northern Territory, Queensland, and South Australian states. Marked by a dry, sandy red plain and towering dunes, it is one of the most forbidding places on the planet, and home to the longest parallel sand dunes on Earth.

When he completed his crossing back in 2008, Loncke pulled a specially built cart that carried his gear and supplies, including water, behind him the entire way. This time out, he'll leave the cart behind and carry all of his equipment in his backpack instead, something he did while crossing Death Valley last year. His route will be a bit different this time out as well, as he'll travel west to east starting from Old Andado station in the Northern Territory and ending at Poeppel Corner via the geographic center of the desert itself. All told, he expect the expedition to cover about 280 km (174 miles).

The challenges that Loncke faces on this journey are numerous. The desert is extremely hot and dry, so dehydration, heat stroke, and exhaustion are real possibilities. Since he's carrying all of his supplies and gear with him on his back, equipment failure is a serious concern too, as is the fear of potential injuries. On top of that, he'll have to contend with snakes, dingos, and wild camels too, not to mention a host of annoying biting insects. In other words, this won't be a walk in the park, but a seriously difficult expedition through an unforgiving environment.

Loncke says that if he crosses the desert successfully, and still has enough supplies to continue on, he plans to push another 135 km (84 miles) past his end point to the town of Birdville instead. That would bring the entire journey up to 415 km (258 miles), although he'll have to wait to see how he feels physically before making that decision.

Loncke departed for Australia from Belgium yesterday and will spend a few days preparing for the journey before setting out. He should get underway next week, and have quite an adventure in the desert. Stay tuned for updates on his progress.

Good luck Lou-Phi!

Karakoram 2016: Czech Climbers Launch Summit Bid on Gasherbrum I

Earlier in the week we said that the climbing season in the Karakoram was grinding to halt, with most teams now long gone. But, one team remained in the mountain holding out home that they would still get a chance at the summit on Gasherbrum I, and along a new no less.

Czech climbers Marek Holecek and Ondra Mandula are now in the midst of a summit push along a route that Holecek has already attempted on three previous occasions. According to ExWeb, the duo set out from BC on Tuesday with the hopes of being into position to complete their climb today. Poor weather has momentarily stalled their attempt however, although they are hoping for conditions to improve this weekend so they can finish the ascent.

When the duo launched this summit push they climbed up to 6000 meters (19,685 ft) on Tuesday, setting up their first camp after a long day in mixed weather conditions. On Wednesday of this week the weather had improved and they set out to climb higher, but as they went, conditions once again deteriorated. Snow began to fall on the mountain, and several avalanches occurred, cutting off their ability to safely descend. Instead, they went up and found shelter near a serac, pitching their tent at 6800 meters (22,309 ft). That is where they have stayed for the past two days, waiting for things to improve. The plan is to wait out the weather, then move up to 7400 meters (24,278 ft) for one last campsite before moving on to the summit.

The new route is one that Holecek has scouted in the past, going up Gasherbrum I's southwest face. As mentioned, the Czech climber has failed to complete his ascent along this new path on three separate occasions, but he now believes that his persistence will pay off and he and Mandula can top out. At this point that all depends on the weather, and the amount of supplies that they have left. Summiting this late in the season is a bit uncommon in the Karakoram, but not unheard of. They will need some luck to go their way however.

We'll be keeping an eye on their progress throughout the next few days. Hopefully they'll find success along this new route, but if not it will be more important that they ascend safely. I'll keep you posted!

Video: BASE Jumping Through the Clouds in Switzerland

BASE jumping can be a scary enough proposition on its own, but throw in some clouds and it gets even more difficult. That's what skydiver Felix Lorentzen and friends discovered when they made a recent jump in the mountains of Switzerland. Putting aside their trepidation they decided to go for it anyway, and the result is the video below. After all, they knew that the ground had to be down below them somewhere. Right?

Video: Tusker Trail's Mongolia Trek - Episode 3

Today we have Tusker Trail's third and final video of their Mongolia Trek, bringing a close to the journey. This video is a strong visual companion to the articles I have written recently about my own experiences on this amazing trip, and watching the three videos over the past few days has brought back some fantastic memories of our ride through the Altai Mountains. If you've read those stories and wanted to see what this part of Mongolia looks like for yourself, you can watch these videos to get a sense of the place. Better yet, you can sign up and go yourself. Check out the final clip yourself, and start planning your own Mongolia adventure.

Gear Closet: Solartab Portable Solar Charger

Now days it is not uncommon to travel into the backcountry with an array of electronic devices. Most of us will take a smartphone and sometimes even a tablet. We carry rechargeable headlamps, GoPro cameras, GPS devices, and a variety of other gear. The problem is, it isn't always easy to keep the batteries in all of those gadgets charged up, and without power they mostly become dead weight. But, thankfully there are some handy methods to carry extra power with us wherever we go, and improvements in the efficiency of solar panels has made them a viable option too. Which is why the Solartab portable charger was so intriguing to me as an option for backcountry power. Recently, I had the chance to put the device to the test, and came away fairly impressed.

At its core, the Solartab is a 5.5 watt solar panel that covers the front of the device. That panel is paired with a 13,000 mAh batter that can store the power collected from the sun for future use. That's a sizable battery in its own right, and enough to recharge an iPhone six times over, with power to spare, or fully recharge an iPad with enough juice for a smartphone too. When you pair that with the built-in solar panel, you have a  way to keep your gadgets running indefinitely, at least in theory.

The Solartab – which is roughly the size of a standard model iPad – also comes equipped with a custom made case that not only protects the solar panel, but also allows the user to adjust its angle to ensure that it is always drawing the most power possible from the sun. A handy light on the side of the device even tells you when it is actually generating energy, which is automatically stored in the battery pack.

Two 2.1 amp USB ports can then be used to transmit that power to any gadget capable of recharging via USB. That includes just about any small electronic device today, including headlamps, action cameras, GPS devices, UV water purifiers, and so on. A micro-USB port on the Solartab can be used to charge up the internal battery from AC wall outlet before you leave home, ensuring that you always have enough power on the go. Indicator lights on the side of the panel are a handy indicator to let you know just how much juice is in the Solartab at any given time.

The two USB ports are actually quite fast, although when a device is plugged into both ports you'll see a drop in speed. Still, an iPhone 6S can be powered up in about an hour and a half, and my iPad Mini was restored to full strength in under three hours. That's about on par with plugging those devices into the wall.

As with most small solar panels, the Solartab can be a bit of a mixed bag at times. In direct sunlight it can charge fairly quickly, and since you have the ability to turn it to face the sun, and shift the angle to get the most exposure, it works well on clear, sunny days. But, when the clouds come out its ability to draw a charge can be severely hampered. The designers of the device say that under the best of conditions it can take about 12 hours to fully recharge the device's battery, but don't expect those conditions to come around all that often.


Still, I was fairly impressed with how the Solartab performed in reference to similar devices from the competition. The issues with collecting power from the sun aren't an issue that this charger faces on its own, as pretty much every small solar panel that I've tested has performed similarly, with some not even doing as well as the Solartab. In other words, this is about par for the course for this type of solar panel, so set your expectations accordingly.

One area that the Solartab shines is build quality. Taking it out of the package I found myself pleasantly surprised with how well constructed this product is. The device is very durable, and feels substantial in your hand. Even the integrated case has a high quality feel to it, as does all of the included accessories, which range from a USB charging cable and AC adapter, to a soft cloth for keeping the solar panel clean.

All in all, the combination solar panel and battery pack is a nifty design, and comes in handy when traveling. But, the main problem I have with the Solartab is that it is a bit heavy to carry around, especially if you're someone who likes to travel light. The charger will definitely add some bulk to your pack, which makes deciding to take it with you a challenge sometimes. On the one hand, it is a handy product for when you want to stay charged on the road. On the other, it is heavier than I'd like.

Another issue to be aware of with the Solartab is that there is no easy way to affix it to a backpack for charging while you hike. This is somewhat common for a solar panel like the Goal Zero Nomad 7, but due to its size and bulk, it really isn't a possibility here. Instead, it is mean to be set up at your campsite to gather power all day, but if you're moving around a lot that isn't necessarily an option. This won't be a deal breaker for everyone of course, but it is something to be aware of.

When it was first released, the Solartab carried a price tag of $129, which I found pricey but still worth it for the right person. It is currently selling on the Solartab website for just $89, which makes it a lot easier to recommend. I've seen solar panel and large battery packs that cost that much on their own, so getting them integrated into one device is truly a bargain.

If you need portable power to keep your gadgets functioning on the go, the Solartab is a good option. It is sleek, well made, and efficient. Yes, it does add some weight to your pack, but if you can put up with that, you'll literally have a portable power station that you can take with you just about anywhere. That alone makes it a viable solution for those of us who are routinely on the go. I just hope in the next model they can find a way to cut some weight a bit and thin it down some. At that point, this would be a nearly perfect product.